Hills/Forrest enter into collaboration

Toledo, Ohio – GE Real Estate will collaborate with the golf course design team of Arthur Hill/Steve Forrest Associates.

“Initially, we will work together to leverage the well-established brand of the Arthur Hills organization to further strengthen GE’s position in the golf market place,” says Jim Mendelson, managing director, golf lending and new product development at GE Commercial Finance Real Estate. “Today we will work with seasoned owners/operators who seek to acquire and refinance golf courses. We also see many future possibilities, such as financing member-owned clubs.”

The union is consistent with the Hills/Forrest team philosophy.

“It’s always been a significant goal of ours to identify industry leaders in the various sectors and formalize relationships with them,” says Quentin Lutz, vice president of global business development with Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates. “GE Real Estate shares this goal. This union enables both firms to offer our clients a much broader base of recommended services to support their strategies for growth.”

Hills says this partnership goes beyond anything the firm has done in the past.

“Traditionally, the golf course architect is party to course development or renovation plans at a very early stage,” he says. “We’re there when decisions are made, and we’ve always done our best to direct our clients to viable financing options. But this new relationship with GE Real Estate takes this process to an entirely new level.”